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76ers All-Star Reading Team - Rhea Hughes

What was your favorite children's book growing up and why?

  • "The Giving Tree" by Shel Silverstein. Most children's books are unreadable once you are an adult. This book is open to interpretation; is it a book about giving or taking? Reading this book manages to make me smile and feel sad at the same time.
  • I recently gave this book to my six year old niece, but I re-read it before I gave it to her.

    What is your favorite book now and why?

  • It is a hard to pick one. I'm an insatiable reader. I like to read a couple of books a week. If I have any free time, I'm reading. It is usually on the bestseller lists, preferably a thriller. Right now, I'm a big fan of Kathy Reichs, Robert Crais and Donald Harstad. Anything by John E. Douglas and Mark Olshaker are good too.

    What book has had a major impact on your life and why?

  • Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe. It is the most amazing example of storytelling I've ever read. It is a great story of tolerance and fearlessness, which are two things I have great respect for. This should be required reading.

    Who got you interested in reading?

  • My mother encouraged reading books and newspapers. She thought it is unacceptable to be clueless about current events.

    Is reading an important part of your profession?

  • Absolutely! I read the Philadelphia Inquirer, Daily News, New York Post and USA Today front to back everyday. I also read probably 10-15 sports sections of different newspapers across the country. Sports Illustrated and Time magazines every week. I log onto websites for reading too, like Sporting News, ESPN, CNN-SI, and CBS Sportsline.

    Why is reading important?

  • Information is power! I learn more by reading than by anything else. A well-read person is a well-informed person.

    Why do you love to read?

  • There are so many reasons. You can learn to escape from this crazy world. I don't go to the movies. I'd rather read a book and use my brain to create an image of the characters and places. I know of only one movie that is as good as the book - "Of Mice and Men", by John Steinbeck.